Michael Cristofer News

Bittersweet serendipity will be in the air when actor Gordon Clapp takes the stage in the Boston premiere of “Robert Frost: This Verse Business,” being presented April 23–28 by Spring Pool Arts at the Calderwood Pavilion, Boston Center for the Arts.

Learn about the finalists for the 2024 Steinberg-ATCA New Play Award, announced by the American Theatre Critics Association.

Lyric Opera of Chicago has released video footage of Justin Austin performing 'What Makes a Man a Man' from Terence Blanchard's CHAMPION below. Ahead of his fateful fight with Benny 'Kid' Paret, Emile Griffith finds himself torn between societal expectations and the desire to be his true self. Watch the performance here!

Chicago is never lacking outstanding theatre, whether epic Broadway shows, engrossing dramas or bold fringe offerings. BroadwayWorld is rounding up our top recommended theatre every month. February 2024's top picks include Lyric Opera's Champion, Cinderella, Goodman's Highway Patrol and more.

The music of Terence Blanchard has returned to Lyric Opera of Chicago with his first opera: Champion, an 'opera in jazz' inspired by the true story of boxer Emile Griffith, a professional boxer from the U.S. Virgin Islands who threw a fatal punch in the boxing ring in 1962. Get a first look at the production in an all-new trailer!

The music of Terence Blanchard has returned to Lyric Opera of Chicago with his first opera: Champion, an 'opera in jazz' inspired by the true story of boxer Emile Griffith, a professional boxer from the U.S. Virgin Islands who threw a fatal punch in the boxing ring in 1962. Check out production photos here!

In an all-new video, Associate Choreographer Christopher Jackson discusses the gumbo of dance found in Terence Blanchard's CHAMPION.

Learn about the world champion boxer and see how his story inspired Grammy Award-winning composer Terence Blanchard's first foray into opera in this interview with director James Robinson in an all-new video.

Lyric Opera of Chicago is presenting the Lyric premiere of Grammy Award-winning composer Terence Blanchard and Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning librettist Michael Cristofer’s knockout opera Champion. Learn more about this opera!

Check out production photos from Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman, running September 23 to October 7, 2023 here!

Rose Gregorio, a Tony nominee for her performance in The Shadow Box, has passed away at the age of 97. 

Get all the details about the upcoming performance of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman at The Lyric Opera of Chicago. From the storyline to the cast, this guide is a must-read for opera lovers and fans of Wagner's work.

Lyric Opera of Chicago is ushering in the 2023/24 cultural season on a high note with Sunday in the Park with Lyric, an evening of beautiful music led by Enrique Mazzola.

YATC, a completely teen-driven theater company with productions in the Seattle area is presenting its 16th season at Theatre 4 in Seattle Center.

Single tickets go on sale tomorrow — Thursday, June 15 at 10 a.m. CT — for Lyric Opera of Chicago’s compelling 2023/24 Season.

Playwright Christina Anderson has won the 2023 Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award for her play the ripple, the wave that carried me home.

The Pulitzer Prize Board will present the 2023 award winners for Prizes in Journalism, Books, Drama and Music. Who will win this year? Tune in right here at 3pm to watch the announcement live!

The Pulitzer Prize Board has just announced that English, by Sanaz Toossi has won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Other finalists included: On Sugarland by Aleshea Harris and The Far Country by Lloyd Suh.

While there’s always a great deal of talk about where the next generation of operagoers is coming from, there’s much less hand-wringing about the sources of the new generation of singers. After hearing the Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition’s Grand Finals Concert at the Met on Sunday afternoon, we could plainly hear that the future of the Met roster is alive and well and waiting to take center stage.

On May 26, 2023, Portland Opera will welcome jazz great and celebrated opera and film composer Terence Blanchard to the company with a special one-night-only concert “Absence.'